


Shatter This Mask (Hiatus)

by SalDad081486



Category: Sally Face (Video Games)
Genre: M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-20
Packaged: 2019-11-17 13:56:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18099857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SalDad081486/pseuds/SalDad081486
Summary: Sal Fisher travels out of state to meet an internet friend who introduces him to her friend group. Everything changes from there. SallyxLarry





	1. Ready For Take Off

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is my first fic here so I hope you all enjoy. I'll do my best to update regularly, but I'm in college so it might be a little late sometimes.

AshleyCat80123: are you almost packed and ready to catch your flight??  
SallyFaceBoy81: Yeah, I’m finishing up before heading to the airport now.  
AshleyCat80123: you better hurry then! I’m so excited to see you in person! And don’t worry, I totally don’t have anything planned for your birthday…  
SallyFaceBoy81: Ash, what did I say about surprises? Anyways I better go, see you soon.  
AshleyCat80123: TTYL! <3

Sally clicked out of the instant messenger with a smile forming underneath his cracked prosthetic mask, and shut down his computer with a swift motion. He turned towards his suitcase, his things halfway pouring out from how haphazardly they were thrown in an attempt to quell his rising excitement. In just a few hours, he would be meeting his best friend for the first time, and even better, for his 21st birthday.

He rushed to the bathroom, making sure to grab his toothbrush and his own toothpaste just in case. Opening the medicine cabinet in front of him, his eyes darted across label after label of prescription drugs and painkillers. His jitters calmed as he meticulously picked out several that he may need while away from home. He looked down into his hands filled with bright orange bottles and felt himself drift before snapping back to reality. No. Not today.

After grabbing several other essentials, Sally stampeded back into his room and groaned as his shoved the rest of his things into his torn suitcase, barely able to zip it up. He wouldn’t admit it, but he was more excited than ever to be flying out to see his friend, and it was noticeable in the energetic way that he danced across his room, bundling up in preparation to leave.

“Phone, keys, wallet, ID, toothbrush, meds…” Sally mumbled his mental list to himself as he stood in the doorway of his apartment. He shivered and jolted when he was interrupted by a honk in front of his building. 

“Come on Sal, you gotta get there early!” Sal’s father, Henry, was leaning out the window to yell for his son, snow cascading into the vehicle as he did.

“You’re gonna freeze me son! Hurry it up!” Henry rolled up his window with several cranks as he waited for Sally to get in. Sal turned to his home, locked the door, took a deep breath of the crisp winter air, and walked over to his father’s car, more than ready to get to the airport.  
…

The frigid air encapsulated the father and son as they embraced at the entrance of the airport. Henry’s puffy winter coat seemed to swallow Sally, as he was filled with comfort and warmth. The two released from their embrace as Henry looked down at his son. He could see the happiness in his eyes and he smiled, happy himself to know that his son was finally feeling positive emotions. 

“Be safe and I love you, son. Call me when you get there alright?”

“Yeah dad, I will… I love you too.” Sal smiled at his dad before getting crushed by another quick hug. He saw his father trying to hold back tears as he pulled away.

“Alright! Well you’ve got a flight to catch! Happy Birthday, Sal!” Henry blinked to fight back tears and waved him off before getting back into his car to leave. Sally waved as the car pulled away, taking a last deep, refreshing breath before going to check in his suitcase. 

The airport was crowded with hustling faces. Sal felt his body tense as he guided himself forward to check in. He glanced at the time and date, prominently displayed above the walkway. 8:27 AM, Friday December 20th, 2002. Sally was turning 21 today, and had told Ash not to do anything extravagant, but he knew that was probably in vain. Sal gathered himself, clutching his carry on containing his anxiety medication for the flight, and stepped forward to check in his suitcase. 

Without having much issue, Sally left the check in area and began to walk to security, hoping that he wouldn’t be questioned. His stomach dropped as he stepped into line, knowing what he would be required to do. His feet felt like lead blocks in his shoes as he shuffled forward, arriving at the front of the line.

“Identification please.” Sally snapped back to himself and apologized profusely under his breath, while rummaging for his ID with shaking hands. He handed it to the employee quickly, which the employee took and glanced over before lifting his eyes back to Sally.

“Sir I’m gonna need you to take off your mask to ensure your identity.” His heart fluttered, then fell. 

“It’s my prosthetic.” His voice shook as his words seemed to fall out of his mouth.

“I’m sorry sir, it’s just protocol.” His mind raced as his trembling hands reached up to unclasp his prosthetic. The feeling of eyes on him felt like millions of needles piercing his skin, making it crawl and boil. He carefully clutched his mask and pulled it down, revealing his face riddled with scars, his jawline dented, his eye more obviously fake in comparison to the other. He avoided eye contact with the man, who looked him over before handing his identification back.

“Thank you sir, I apologize but you’ll have to keep your prosthetic off to have it sent through the machine with your bag.” Sal was grateful that he had worn his hair down today as not to make putting his beanie on more difficult. Now he could at least hide his face a little as he marched ahead, keeping his gaze glued to the floor. He carefully set his mask in a bin with his carry on, walking forward through the metal detector. All clear. He glanced over to see a woman going through his bag and waved him over. Sally’s heart began to race once again, wondering if he did something wrong. 

“Sir is this your medication?” She had pulled out his anxiety medicine from the bag for inspection.

“Uh-yes ma’am. It’s allowed right?” She smiled and set it back into the bag. 

“Of course, just needed to check the bottle. You can take your things now sir.” She zipped up his bag before handing him his bin which he quickly carried to a nearby table. His hands fumbled as he grabbed his mask and attempted to clasp it back. He felt his body calm again as he heard the snap, releasing his hands. His right hand clutched his bag as his other hung loosely too his side. His head hung with his eyes closed, collecting himself in this moment. After several seconds, he looked up at the time, and saw that he had about twenty minutes before take off. He took a large inhale through his nose, shook off his nerves, and walked towards his terminal to be boarded.  
…

It was about two hours later and the plane was landing down in Michigan. Ashley had mentioned it would be a bit of a drive to get back to her hometown, but that they could stop for lunch on the way. The journey was essentially painless, Sal had taken his medication quickly after boarding and promptly fell asleep, only to be awakened by the pilot announcing their descent. Luckily, Sally had gotten a window seat, meaning that the passengers next to him didn’t bother him during the trip. Sal gripped his arm rests as the plane hit the ground, feeling his heart race, but not nearly as bad as it would have without the meds. Soon after that, everyone was released and he found his way off of the plane. 

As he got closer to the baggage claim, his heart bounced happily, wondering if Ashley would be waiting for him. Sure enough, he laughed once he saw a giant blue, star shaped “Happy Birthday!” balloon, above the crowd. As people parted he spotted Ashley and she spotted him, smiling widely and running over, clutching him in an embrace. She clung to him and he clung to her, smiling more than he had in so long. She pulled away from the hug to look at him gleefully and she could see his happiness in his eyes as she held the balloon towards him.

“Happy Birthday Sally Face!”


	2. Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashley surprises Sally for his birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick upload this time! I had the previous chapter done a few days before posting, so that's why this is so soon. Hopefully I can get the next out fairly quick as well! -Sal

Sally and Ashley had left baggage claim, Ashley insisting on hauling Sal’s rugged suitcase. He smiled as he studied her; he’d only ever seen grainy pictures of her online. Her hair was straight, and shorter than he thought it would be, resting about midway down her neck. Her jeans were black and under her black coat, lined with tan fur, she wore a deep purple V-neck sweater and a lace choker. Sal glanced down at his own appearance, panicking slightly as he realized that his outfit of a black long-sleeve, and ripped red jeans under his black coat, laced with tears might not be giving off the best first impression. Not to mention his prosthetic, although his body seemed to raise and his eyes beamed as he remembered that Ash hadn’t faltered at all upon seeing him. He blinked and looked towards Ash as he heard the trunk of her 1998 Ford Escort close abruptly. 

“Ready to head out?” Ash turned to him and smiled as she asked, her dimples becoming more noticeable.

“Yeah—shit. Uh, just one minute?” Sal jerked his phone out of his coat pocket and struggled to dial the buttons with his gloves, ultimately pulling one off and stuffing it under his arm as he typed. The phone couldn’t even finish one ring before his call was answered.

“Sal, did you land? How are you feeling after the flight? Is your friend there?” The familiar voice of Sally’s father rang through his speaker. Ashley noticed Sal’s eyes light up beneath his mask and smiled gently before waving to him for his attention. As he looked at her she motioned that she was getting in the car, and sat waiting for Sal to finish his call.

A couple minutes had gone by and Ashley sat in her car, which had finally started to warm back up and had a radio station playing quietly, although they were currently on a commercial break. She couldn’t help but smile to herself as she thought of the plans for the day. Sal had no idea of course, but Ash had been planning for weeks, trying to figure out what to do for his birthday. She was brought back to the present by Sal opening the passenger door and settling in. 

“So you mentioned something about lunch right?” Sal’s stomach was gurgling but only enough for Sal to know that he was starving.

“More like brunch, but yes! Is there anywhere in particular you want to go or should I pick?” Ashley’s words were delicate and comforting. Sal sat for a few moments, thinking. Ash was startled by his head snapping up and looking her dead in the eyes.

“Denny’s. Please tell me you have those,” Sal deadpanned. Ashley’s face went from confused to awestruck before she started cackling. Between laughs she tried to speak but finally managed to gather herself enough to respond.

“Of all things, you choose Denny’s? Yes we have those!” She shook her head with a smirk on her face before putting her car in drive. With Sal silently salivating in the passenger seat and Ashley still giggling by his interesting request, they began their drive to Ashley’s hometown.

…

Sally, now full of eggs, hash browns, pancakes, and sugary grits, looked up at a rusted green sign with large bold lettering. ‘NOCKFELL’. He turned to Ashley as she turned down her radio.

“Is this this place?” He looked around, the town seemed deserted, but there was something about it that seemed to pull him in. Maybe it was the leafless trees, swaying hauntingly, or perhaps it was the buildings that all looked like they were whispering to him but would never share their secrets. 

“Yep this is Nockfell, my pals and I used to go ghost hunting around here all the time.”

“You don’t anymore?” Sal perked up when he heard “ghost hunting” and looked at her hoping for answers.

“Nah, wasn’t really my thing. Todd and Larry still go at it though, although Larry isn’t home very often nowadays.” Ashley sighed, but Sal could tell it wasn’t out of sadness. Sally fumbled with his fingers as he looked down, not wanting to admit that it sounded really cool and that he would love to go. Ashley noticed and grabbed his shoulder as she pulled into a driveway. 

“Are you okay? Did I saw something wrong?” Ashley had turned off the engine and eyed Sally with concern filling her emerald gaze. Sal, looked at her, and started giggling, taking her by surprise. 

“Nono! I’m fine, I just thought ghost hunting sounded really cool but I didn’t know how to say that without sounding weird.” Sal let out another chuckle along with Ash as she realized her mistake. 

“Well Todd’s home! We could see if he’s working on anything!” Ashley opened her door and popped her trunk, easily lifting Sal’s heavy suitcase. 

“You really don’t have to do that Ash, I can get my own things.” Sal couldn’t help but feel bad for his friend carrying his things, he had struggled with guilt issues most of his life. He walked closer to her to retrieve his suitcase before being stopped by Ashley’s hand shooting straight up to block him.

“No way chief, if you don’t let me do this I’ll feel sad all day, so you gotta let it happen.” Ashley quickly bolted with his suitcase before Sal could protest. Sal could feel his tension ease with her words and nodded with a grin before following her to the front door. 

Ashley could hardly contain her excitement as she thrust open the front door, revealing two men standing next to each other outfitted with party hats and holding a cake with a large “21” candle on top. Hung around the room were various streamers and balloons and there was low rock music playing on a stereo. Ashley ran into the room with the two men.

“Surprise!” They all yelled in unison as Sal stood in the doorway. Ashley’s face fell as Sal remained silent, and her heart dropped once she heard a sniffle under the prosthetic. One of the men had heard it too, quickly taking the cake and setting it aside, as the other watched nervously. 

“Oh my god, Sal, I’m so sorry— you hate surprises—I shouldn’t have—” Ashley’s ramblings were cut short when the sniffling man hugged her tightly. His head rested over her shoulder and his light blue hair cascaded over her. Sal had started to cry and he slowly released her moments later after collecting himself. He turned away to lift his mask and wipe his face, before adjusting it and looking back. 

“This is the best surprise I’ve ever gotten. Thank you so much Ash. And you guys—I’m sorry I don’t know your names.” Sal tried to remain his composure as he walked forward and set his bag down next to his suitcase. Ashley’s smile returned as she turned to the two men. 

“Oh, right! This is Todd—” she gestured to the pale, chubby man with insanely curly, pumpkin-colored hair “-and his boyfriend Neil!” she then moved her hand towards a slightly taller man with gorgeous, dark skin and decadently deep colored eyes. Neil had been the one to usher the cake away, trying to help defuse the earlier situation but he was all smiles now. Todd didn’t seem like the type to smile too much, but neither was Sally most of the time. Neil was the first to speak.

“It’s great to finally meet you, Ash has been talking about you nonstop lately.” He chuckled and kissed Todd’s cheek as he walked back towards the kitchen to grab the cake. Todd smirked and blushed slightly before resuming back to his natural state. 

“Yes, it’s nice to meet you. I’ve went ahead and set up the guest bedroom for you. It’s not much, just an air mattress, but we tried our best.” Todd shrugged and held his hand out to shake Sal’s, which he returned. Neil turned back towards the group, setting the cake down on the table with the candles lit.

“Are we ready for the birthday wish? Oh and Sal, if you need anything for your stay, let me know. Like Todd mentioned, we set it all up, but don’t hesitate to ask if you need something alright?” Neil raised his eyebrow at Sal with a smile on his face and Sal nodded in response.

“Great now get over here! We’ve been at this all morning!” Neil pulled Todd next to him as Todd crossed his arms.

“Todd won’t admit it, but he did most of the work.” Neil squeezed Todd’s side, causing him to loosen up and smile.

“Yeah, well I tried my best. Go ahead and make your wish and dig in.” Sally felt light in the room, knowing that everyone around him worked so hard to pull this off just for him. He walked forward and leaned in, lifting his mask to blow out his candles. Usually, he would feel more out of place, but the warmth radiating around him made his troubles momentarily slip away as the flames went out one by one. 

Cheering ensued after they had all been blown out and Ashley jumped up and down, rushing to the cabinets to grab silverware. She quickly grabbed a spatula out of a drawer and began dishing out pieces of Todd and Neil’s beautifully baked cake. 

…

Several hours had passed with the group sharing stories and Sally listening intently to Todd detailing their old escapades hunting ghosts, with Ashley chiming in when she could for those that she attended. Neil sat quietly, resting his eyes while leaning back against the couch. Sally was enthralled with the tales, preparing and asking questions throughout. 

Eventually, a thought crossed Sally’s mind. “Hey, you guys have mentioned Larry a lot. Where is he?”

Ashley took over before Todd could speak, seeing as he had the tendency to ramble. “Currently, he’s out of town at an art exhibit with his mom, but usually he’s in Utah for college. That’s why he isn’t around that often anymore.”  
The group seemed to get sullen when thinking about the fact but Sally could tell that they were happy for him because of how highly they talked of him. Ashley’s somberness changed at the change of a dime as she perked up as she stared towards Sal. 

“He’s coming for the Christmas party though! He’ll be gone for the weekend but he’ll be back for Monday’s festivities!” Sal had almost forgotten about the party, it was the main reason he had come down after all. After hearing so much about this guy, Sal was more than eager to meet the face behind the name.


	3. Soft Blue Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Christmas party finally takes place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I'm immensely happy with this chapter and I hope you enjoy it! It's quite a bit longer than usual but I hope that ya'll don't mind! -Sal

Sally was standing in front of a tree, watching the yellow-green grass billowing around him in the soft, cascading breeze. He stood silently, allowing the air to caress him, the wind whispering sweet nothings, beckoning him to stay. He shook his head, knowing that he had to leave; he could never stay. Sal turned to the tree, letting his hand drift along the bark, the textures resonating and pulsating under his finger tips. The tree began to tremble and quake under his touch, beginning to shake violently as the wind kicked up and the sky that had been filled with hues of peach and salmon, now turned navy and gray. Sal’s face was hidden by his hair darting around him, trying to escape the wrath of the air currents. His hand fell solemnly as the tree sunk into the earth, revealing an open grave in front of him. His eyes settled on the blonde women, lying peacefully within, before the grave began filling with deep, scarlet blood. A bark sounded in Sally’s ears as he shot upright, now awake. 

A light sheen of cold sweat encapsulated Sal’s body as he sat upright on the mattress. His blanket had fallen, revealing his bare chest that his hair had stuck to. He panted and tried to calm himself, feeling his heart slow back to normal. With a deep breath and a groan, Sal pinched the bridge of his nose and kicked off the blanket covering his bare legs. He fumbled, trying to grasp his mask and knocked over the cup containing his glass eye. “Fuck—” he muttered under his breath, catching the eye before it had rolled too far. He sighed before grabbing his mask and fastening it, before throwing on some dark navy jeans, and an oversized System of a Down t-shirt. Clutching his eye in his hand, he opened the spare bedroom door and shuffled to the bathroom, momentarily ignoring the delicious smells tempting him from the kitchen. 

Almost as soon as he had shut the bathroom door behind him, he had taken off his mask again, rinsing off his eye before expertly popping it back into place. He stared at himself in the mirror, shaking out his hair in an attempt to make it look presentable. Unconsciously, Sal’s mouth began salivating as the scents from the kitchen infiltrated his scarred nostrils. He refastened his prosthetic once again before opening the door and sauntering into the kitchen to be greeted by a more than sleepy Ashley who looked like she had literally rolled out of bed and to the kitchen table. 

“Good morning Sally Face.” Neil said this as he was leaning over the stove, frying up what looked like omelets in a marigold-colored silk robe. Ash looked less put together with her hair in a small ponytail, a black tank top, and mistletoe themed pajama pants. Ash then spoke without looking up, seeing as she still had her eyes closed. 

“Good mornin’ Sally Face…” Ash yawned as she spoke, jumbling her words. She sat upright, tossing her arms back behind her, trying to pop her back on the back of the chair. Returning back to a normal position, she smiled as she looked towards him. 

“Are you ready for our famous Christmas party tonight Sally Face?” Ashley spoke excitedly, her joy radiating from her sparkling eyes. Neil had begun plating the omelets as Sal sat down across from Ash. 

“Yeah, I’m excited to hang with all of you.” Sal yawned and smiled, looking down hungrily as Neil set a steaming omelet in front of him. 

“Spinach, peppers, broccoli, and cheese for ya Sally.” Neil placed another plate in front of Ash, who smiled gratefully before digging in. 

“Thanks Neil, I can make my own food if it gets to be a hassle. I know that I can be a bit of a challenge to cook for.” Sal looked at Neil guiltily because he had been such a kind host and a good friend thus far into his stay. Sally was so appreciative for how he was happy to accommodate him. 

“You know I don’t mind Sal, it’s really no problem. I enjoy experimenting with meals.” Neil grinned genuinely before setting one plate in the microwave and sitting down with his own plate. Sal looked around and noticed that someone was missing.

“Hey, where’s Todd?” Sally looked around the room as he asked, having not seen him all morning. Neil chuckled as he ate and pointed his fork towards the door. 

“He went out to grab a few things for tonight. He should be back any minute now so that we can start getting everything together.” Ashley nodded as Neil spoke, getting up to grab a cup of coffee from the coffee maker, and filled a light blue mug covered in flowers. She took a long sip, shivering from the caffeine, and cuddled into herself. Ash then set down the cup while the boys ate and sauntered back over, slamming her hands on the table. 

“Alright listen up boys, this party needs to be off the hook, got it? We have to have everything. Booze, lights, music, the whole shebang.” She smirked and looked at Sal, who was still reeling from that speech. Before he could respond, they all turned towards the door as the knob jingled and turned. The door opened revealing a stark white Todd, entirely covered in snow from the frigid day. Sally had to squint from the bright light shining in from the outside, but was quickly relieved as Todd walked into the house carrying several bags on each arm from his shopping trip. 

Todd kicked his brown, sturdy boots off on the entrance mat once inside, and walked in showing off his well thought out outfit of gray sweatpants, and a loose teal T-shirt. He set the multitude of bags on the counter next to the fridge, before sliding off his chestnut-colored faux fur coat. He shook out his dampened hair as Neil pulled Todd’s breakfast out of the microwave, setting it on the table in front of Todd as he sat down. Neil planted a soft kiss on Todd’s temple, eliciting a fake grossed out face from Ash. Todd whacked her arm and melted while he chewed the delicious food.

“How was shopping honey? Did you get the last things we needed?” Neil sat next to Todd as he spoke. Ashley had shot up, Sal following her motions with his eyes as she furiously rummaged through the plastic bags, rattling them violently while pulling out a variety of items. There were Christmas lights, streamers in green, white, and red, and a plethora of food ingredients and utensils. Sally remained silent and began to zone out while he stared towards Ashley pulling things out of the bags. Todd and Neil spoke to one another but nothing that they were saying was registering in Sal’s mind as it wandered away from this place. Suddenly, he was snapped back once he heard a name mentioned by Todd.

“Hey Ash, when do you think Larry will get here?” Todd had finished his breakfast and was currently doing dishes while Neil drank his coffee. Ashley had managed to unpack all of the items from their bags and had balled the bags up together before throwing them in the recycling bin.

“Hm? Oh, I’m not sure. I think he should get here once the party has started but he couldn’t give me an exact time.” Ash took a moment to register what Todd had asked before answering, as her mind was still stuck on the ball of bags she created. Sal looked between them as he thought. He had heard so much about this man and he was curious to finally meet him in person. He didn’t even have any idea what to expect, but what he was expecting, was to meet a great guy and maybe even make another friend. 

…

The time was 4:08 pm, and the party would be starting in a little under three hours. Todd was assisting Neil in the kitchen, trying to get all of the dishes prepared. Ashley was currently standing on a chair, struggling to hang up a streamer, but finally managed. Sal offered his hand to her which she took as she leaped off of the chair, back onto the carpet. 

“Alright Sal, that’s pretty much everything decoration wise. I’m thinking maybe a few more balloons and we should definitely pour some glitter into them and onto the floor, agreed?” Ash looked inquisitively around the room as Todd yelled from the kitchen.

“DON’T YOU DARE POUR GLITTER ON THE CARPET.” Todd’s voice boomed through the house. Ash looked offended as she yelled back at Todd.

“HOW DO YOU EXPECT A KICKASS CHRISTMAS PARTY WITHOUT GLITTER, TODD?” She dragged out his name as a taunt and Sal could hear Todd mutter in the kitchen, but couldn’t make out what he was saying. Sal’s attention turned towards Todd as he peaked around the corner, a look of defeat and frustration on his face. 

“You can do the glitter on one condition.” He lifted up a single finger. “You have to clean up every single speck of it tomorrow.” Ashley groaned and placed her hands on her hips.

“Fine, I’ll clean it all up.” After Ashley agreed, Todd squinted and took two fingers pointing towards his own eyes and then pointed them back at her before slinking back into the kitchen with Neil. 

Ash and Sally had managed to spread glitter sufficiently around the room and it truly looked like a proper winter wonderland. There was white stuffing placed among the outskirts of the room, which had been doused in white and light blue glitter, giving the appearance of actual snow. Streamers of red, green, and white had been hung lovingly from corner to corner, with glitter-filled white balloons resting on top of them. Candles decorated with holly sat on each and every table in the room and a table near the back of the room had been cleared as the designated area for food and drinks. Sal could see the joy in Ash’s eyes as they twinkled in awe of what they had created. She had even gone to the trouble of replacing the lights in the room with light blue ones, to give everything a mystical feel. Ashley turned to Sally and hugged him tightly, before releasing him.

“Thank you so much for helping me! I have to go get ready now, I can let you know when I’m done with the bathroom!” Her voice was laced with excitement and she ran to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Sally stood in silence for a few moments, continuing to take in his surroundings. After standing for awhile, he walked towards the kitchen, popping in from around the corner. 

“Hey, uh, Ash and I finished decorating, do you guys want any help?” Sal looked at the two who had turned to him. Todd had flour in his hair, as did Neil and the two were smiling because of the hijinks they had been up to while cooking and baking. Neil spoke between his chuckles.

“I think we’re alright in here, Sally Face. There’s only a little more than an hour left until the party, why don’t you relax a bit before everything gets chaotic?” Neil’s soft smile comforted Sal as his eyes squinted from the smile that had formed under his prosthetic. He nodded before heading back into the guest bedroom to get dressed. Half an hour had passed and Sally heard a knock at his door. 

“Hey Sally Face, the bathroom is open if you need to do anything in there.” Ashley’s voice rang from the other side of the door and he heard her footsteps as she walked into her own room and shut the door. Sal had changed into a pair of red skinny jeans with white converse and kept on his System of Down T-shirt. He opened his door, and was greeted by Neil and Todd who were about to knock on his door. 

“Sorry about that Sal, do you mind if we get a quick shower.” Neil chuckled and smiled wide, him and Todd were thoroughly coated in flour and Sal could see several kiss impressions left in the flour on Todd’s face as well as a couple on Neil’s. 

“Yeah no problem! I don’t really need to do anything in there anyways.” Sal scratched the back of his head and Todd thanked him quickly before the two shuffled into the bathroom together, and he could hear the shower being turned on. Sally closed his door behind him as he once again entered the living room, plopping down onto the couch and resting. Suddenly, he was being shook awake and opened his eyes to Ash, Neil, and Todd all standing in front of him. They were all smiling at him, and even Todd had a cheeky grin on his face. Sal blinked a few times and sat up straighter looking at them all. 

“What are you guys doing, is it time for the party?” Sally yawned and noticed that Ashley had her hands behind her back. 

“People should start showing up soon, but we all thought you needed something a bit more festive for the occasion.” Ashley beamed as she pulled a beautiful white box from behind her back. The wrapping paper was fitted with glittering snowflakes and a transparent blue bow placed on top. Ash set the box down into Sally’s lap. “Well, open it!”

Sally looked up at them in shock and then down to the box, before carefully dissecting the bow and the paper, revealing a brown box within. He gently lifted the lid and set it down next to him, pulling the tissue paper to the side. He pulled the garment from the box and stared at the soft knitted sweater. It was very obviously a Christmas sweater and it was primarily shades of green but with a big red heart in the center as the main design. Above the heart was the word “MERRY” and under the heart was the word “FRIENDSMAS”. Sal clutched the sweater dearly as he started to tear up. 

“Guys, you didn’t have to do this for me. You’re all so kind and thoughtful—” his voice was cut off by him sniffling and choking up. Ashley pulled him to his feet and the three surrounded him in a hug together. Once they released, Sal turned around to wipe his face before adjusting his mask. He swiftly put on the sweater over his shirt, and the three turned towards the door as they heard the first knock. 

…

The party was in full swing and it was nearing nine o’ clock. Even though the party had been going on for a couple hours already, there were no signs of it stopping anytime soon. Sally was standing near a wall, drinking a soda through a straw, and he was currently watching everyone around him. Ashley, now wearing candy cane tights, a red skirt with a white petticoat underneath, and a white low-cut sweater with a belt made to resemble a red present bow, was dancing with her friend Maple, who she had introduced to Sal earlier once she arrived. Sally learned that Maple was married to a man named Chug who was a heavyset man, and that the two had a young daughter together named Soda. She obviously wasn’t with them, as they had gotten a sitter because of the adult nature of the party, but the pictures that Maple had showed off were definitely heart-warming. Chug was keeping a close eye on the food and drinks table and was making conversation with Todd. Neil had been walking around mingling most of the night, the punch that he had made was bringing out his bubbly, likable personality even more than usual. As Sally’s eyes drifted across the room, his body suddenly tensed as he locked eyes with a brooding man across the room. 

Sally stood still, looking back at the man that was looking at him. He looked away quickly and glanced back, shivers rippling across his body as the man began walking over to him. Sal gulped and clutched his soda can, trying not to visibly shake. The man had pale blonde hair that fell across his deep terracotta skin. He was stumbling a bit as he made his way to Sally, letting on to Sal that the man was intoxicated. Sally braced himself as the man stood in front of him.

“Uh, can I help you?” Sal’s voice cracked, although it wasn’t too noticeable because of the bass pounding from the music that had been playing. The man in front of him clenched his fists. 

“What are you doing here? You look like a fucking freak. What are you trying to hide with that ugly ass mask? Is what’s underneath it even grosser?” The man leaned forward, Sally quaking in his insecurities. He was right, he was disgusting. The man scoffed, knowing that he had succeeded in bringing Sal down. 

“So disappointing. I was hoping for a bit more out of this. You know-” he stepped closer to Sal, speaking directly to him, just inches away. “Maybe we could go have a chat?” Sal winced as he smelled the alcohol on the man’s breath when he spoke. He turned his face away a bit before responding.

“I’m sorry, I’d like to stay here.” Sally’s words caused the blonde man to grimace and step back, seething. 

“Fuck you, you’re probably sickening.” The taller man spat his words towards Sally. Sal braced himself as the man drew his fist back and Sally closed his eyes, gripping his drink tightly, waiting for impact. 

“Travis!” Sally slowly opened his eyes to the sound of the deep, gravely voice, and turned his head when the impact never came. He looked back towards the man and noticed that there was a hand holding back his arm which he had drawn back. Before he could get a better look at his savior, the man had dragged the blonde man, who he assumed was named Travis, away. Sally blinked several times, his vision blurring as he tried to control his nerves. A pair of black converse entered his vision as he looked towards the floor.

“Hey man, are you alright?” Sally’s eyes ran up the man’s body, studying it as the man spoke to him. As his eyes trailed up the build of the thin man, he saw that he was wearing a pair of dark faded jeans and a Christmas themed t-shirt that had rows of christmas lights on it as well as artwork of kittens rolling around in wrapping paper. Finally, their eyes met, Sally’s light sapphire eyes staring into those of the man. His eyes were a delicious milk chocolate brown that looked as if they had been dipped in a coat of caramel. The man’s bushy eyebrows raised as he looked into the eyes of the shorter man in front of him, admiring his glittering eyes, enhanced from the blue lighting that enveloped the room. Sal cleared his throat and brushed his bright, baby blue hair behind his shoulder.

“Ye-yeah, I’m fine. Thank you for that, uh?” Sal fumbled with his sentence, not knowing the man’s name. The brunette man, smiled softly and held his hand out to shake. Sally took the man’s hand and felt warm with his touch as he spoke.

“My name’s Larry. You must be Sally Face. Ash has told me a lot about you.” He firmly gripped Sally’s hand as he shook it, Sally’s cheeks darkening underneath his mask. “Would you wanna go grab a drink or something? I’ve been dying to talk to you, man.” Sal shook his head in disbelief before responding. 

“Oh, I would love to, but, I don’t drink.” His face remained red in embarrassment, but was shocked when he felt a hand pat his arm. 

“Hey it’s no problem, I don’t drink much either.” Larry leaned in closer to whisper in Sal’s ear, making Sal’s heart beat faster in his chest. “I don’t know if you feel better about smoking but we could step outside if you want. It always calms me down and I wouldn’t blame you after what just went down.” Larry pulled away and raised an eyebrow in question. Sal nodded, gaining a toothy grin from Larry, who took Sal’s hand and guided him out back. Once outside, Larry pulled out a black lighter, with roses and thorns out of his pocket and lit a joint that he had pulled out from behind his ear. He took a few puffs before handing it off to Sally. 

“Ash told me you would be coming over here to visit, she hasn’t stopped talking my ear off for the past month.” He chuckled and glanced over, watching as Sal lifted his prosthetic to hit the joint he had been given. Larry, studied the shorter man’s features, taking notice of the scars that had been revealed as he smoked. He looked at the slightly chubby man next to him, his eyes dancing across the blue-haired boy’s body. Larry coughed and looked away once Sally looked back up to him, handing back the joint. Sally began coughing harshly and Larry laughed and patted his back. Once he collected himself, Sally smiled and looked back up to Larry who met his gaze. 

“Ash has been telling me about you too… I’ve been excited to meet the man of mystery.” Sal giggled a bit as he felt the high start to hit. It had been awhile since he had done this, and he definitely needed the release. Larry blushed upon hearing Sal’s laugh, feeling the high start to hit him as well, after taking a few more puffs. 

“Well you’re a bit of a mystery yourself, Sally Face. I don’t know much about who you actually are outside of what Ash says.” Sally felt looser, scooting closer to Larry and accepting the joint back. He took a hit before answering Larry. 

“I could say the same thing to you. What do you want to know?” Larry looked down at Sal and blushed. Was he really considering trying to have a fling with a stranger at a Christmas party? Normally he wouldn’t think much of it, but the way his heart beat in his chest when looking into Sally’s eyes, made him nervous. He noticed Sally shivering in the cold, although he doubted that Sal realized it himself. Larry’s high brain directed his body closer to Sal’s wrapping his arm around him before grabbing the banister, effectively pushing Sal’s body against his chest. 

“What do you do back at home?” Larry questioned Sal, who had been enveloped in his grasp. Sal’s heart raced as well as his mind as he thought of an answer. He wasn’t sure what to think of his current situation but he wasn’t going to object. The two continued passing the joint back and forth, feeling themselves loosen and melt against each other as they spoke. 

“I uh- I work as a bartender back at home. I don’t drink, but I like putting everything together and seeing everything combine to make something beautiful.” Sal unconsciously let his body rest against Larry’s, feeling comfortable. “What about you? Ash said something about art?”

“Yeah. I’m an artist. You could say that I also like making beautiful things.” He shortened the distance between his hands on the railing, cuddling closer to Sal, feeling the warmth radiate from his small body. He felt warm, and content, which was something he hadn’t felt in awhile. He knew that he didn’t know him very well, but Larry didn’t care and decided to relish in his feelings for the time being. His high wasn’t helping make decisions either. Sal cleared his throat a bit before turning his body to face Larry, their bodies still against each other. 

“Thanks for uh- thanks for saving me in there. It means a lot.” Larry felt his heart skip a beat as Sally’s gem-like eyes stared up at him. His voice caught in his throat a bit and he was sure that Sally could feel his chest fluttering against him. 

“Yeah of course, I couldn’t let him hurt you.” Larry watched Sally look away and Sal cleared his throat once again and coughed lightly. 

“Think we could head in? I think I could use a drink.” Sal looked up at Larry and pushed into him a bit, signaling for Larry to release his grasp so that they could go back inside together. Larry, stared at Sal, leaning back into him momentarily, before pulling away and opening the door for the two to go back inside. 

Sally’s mind raced and his chest felt tight, but at the same time he felt warm and he didn’t know what to think about Larry’s advancements. His mind was cloudy and he wanted more. He walked next to Larry, making sure that their arms were slightly touching as they walked towards the drink table. Sally grabbed a red plastic cup, setting it down before uncapping a 2-liter of Sprite and pouring it in. He looked towards the ice bowl and realized there was no more, gesturing to Larry that he was heading to the kitchen. Larry followed behind into the kitchen, which was void of partying people. Larry opened the freezer, taking Sal’s cup and dropping some ice inside, before popping another into his mouth. Sal felt his body quiver as he watched the tall man tilt his head back, his hickory hair cascading down his back, and then crunch the ice. Sal studied Larry’s features more in this moment, taking in his angled, strong nose, and his beauty mark that rested below the corner of his eye, that were dark with bags. Larry shut the freezer, handing Sal’s drink back to him. His eyes wandered around the room before stopping.   
Larry smiled and waved Sal back towards the living room and followed behind him as he walked. Sal was stopped in the doorway however, by Larry’s strong hands and his heart pounded harder. He turned to look at Larry who glanced above them in the doorway. Sally followed his gaze and saw what Larry did; mistletoe hanging from the door frame. Sally felt the music booming through his body as he stared up at Larry. 

From across the room, Ash punched Todd in the shoulder causing him to wince. 

“What the hell Ash?!” Todd rubbed his arm but followed Ashley’s gestures as she excitedly pointed towards the kitchen. Todd’s eyes widened because of what he saw. Larry leaned down towards Sally, gently caressing his prosthetic, and placed his lips against those of the mask. Todd and Ashley gasped together, watching the scene unfold in front of them. Sally could barely control his movements as he leaned into Larry, his hands wandering up to clutch Larry’s shirt. 

Sal felt his body heat up before he pulled away, quickly becoming embarrassed and he started to stammer. 

“I-uh, I don’t know what-” Sal had trouble finding the words he was looking for and Larry blushed, and chuckled a bit.

“Would you want to hang out tomorrow maybe?” Larry seemed more timid than before and Sal could tell that Larry was nervous from the way his face contorted after asking and waiting for a response. 

Sally’s face warmed with happiness, and he twiddled his fingers before nodding vigorously. Sally noticed Ash waving at him from across the room, furiously trying to get him to come talk to her, so he looked back at Larry, stood on his tiptoes to touch his mask to Larry’s face, imitating a kiss on the cheek, before running over to Ashley. 

Larry held his cheek in surprise and watched as Sally ran over to Ashley, who was eyeballing Larry and smiling like a goof. Larry chuckled and waved a bit in her direction while still holding his cheek, excited to spend some more casual time with Sally the next day.


End file.
